September 2, 1993 (1993-09-02) – October 30, 1996 (1996-10-30)
The John Larroquette Show is an American sitcom television series that was created by Don Reo for NBC. The John Larroquette Show was a star vehicle for John Larroquette following his run as Dan Fielding on Night Court. The series takes place in a seedy bus terminal in St. Louis, Missouri, and originally focused on the somewhat broken people who worked the night shift, and in particular, the lead character's battle with alcoholism. The series was produced by Reo's Impact Zone Productions, Larroquette's Port Street Films and Witt/Thomas Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.
It premiered on September 2, 1993 and ended on October 30, 1996, with a total of 84 episodes over the course of four seasons, although six of those episodes were never aired. NBC canceled the series after airing only six episodes in season four.
Plot
John Hemingway, recovering alcoholic, has been appointed to the role of night shift manager of the St. Louisbus depot. He must deal not only with the intricacies of keeping the station running smoothly, but also the employees and other personalities who frequent the station, all while dealing with his own demons. This was highlighted in the first episode, with a running gag of every character offering to buy him a drink upon his meeting them.
Most of the first season dealt with John's attempts to stay sober, with episodes representing each of the AA program's Twelve Steps. John constantly struggled to maintain control of the station, with regular conflicts with his secretary, Mahalia, the janitor, Heavy Gene, and most strongly with sandwich bar attendant Dexter, who had been turned down for the position to which John was appointed. Adding sexual tension to John's life was high class escort Carly, who was a friend of Dexter's.
Beginning with the second season, Hemingway (and the entire cast) changed from the night shift to the daytime hours, and the alcoholism sub-plot was de-emphasized.[1]
Cast
The show was unusual for occasionally addressing issues of race through a multiracial cast, unlike most American sitcoms in the 1990s.[2]
Recovering alcoholic John Hemingway takes the night manager position in a run-down bus station, where the staff's antics and the job's responsibilities test his resolve to stay sober.
In order to prove that he is serious about staying sober, John must promise his AA sponsor, Chester, that he will remain celibate for six months. This proves difficult when a young, unfulfilled, married woman passes through the depot.
John has to bail his con artist mother (June Lockhart) out of jail. Her reentry into his life conjures up painful memories of his childhood. Matters are further complicated when credit card slips go missing at the depot.
John juggles helping a runaway teen and his promise to Chester that he will make a list of all his wrongdoings and share it with someone as part of his commitment to AA.
A friend/con artist from John's drinking days offers to cut him in on a lucrative real-estate scam only to cheat Mahalia out of her savings. Meanwhile the regulars at the depot hatch a plan to aid the escape of a naive teenager from a bounty hunter's custody.
John lands in trouble with the ACLU when he refuses to charter a bus for a neo-Nazi group while Dexter is blackmailed by a corrupt health inspector, Meanwhile a old writer friend of John's returns and reveals that he has written John's past into a novel.
John gets hooked into a crap game and is caught stealing money from the register by Mahalia, who forces John to pray to the almighty for forgiveness. Meanwhile, Dexter finds out that his new girlfriend is a call girl.
John is ordered to train his boss's unusual nephew (Bobcat Goldthwait) for a job at the station. It turns out that his eccentric behavior is the result of his being in AA for a year.
John runs into his by old college roommate dressed as Marlene Dietrich at a drag show. Mahalia is blackmailed over an appearance she made in a dirty movie.
John and his ex-wife (John Larroquette, guest star Donna Mills) have an argument at the station when their son (guest star Omri Katz) appears on John's doorstep.
Dexter is outraged when his sister strikes up a friendship with Hemingway; Mahalia is overjoyed to hear her first boyfriend is coming to visit; Carly reports to Hemingway that she was sent out on a house call-to his son.
John becomes an AA sponsor but ends up accidentally eating a pot brownie and gets really high. Adam meets his estranged father who wants something from him. Also, actor Joe Pesci (playing himself) briefly visits Oscar for selfish reasons.
The show is retooled as John gets a new apartment, is moved to the day shift at the bus station, and strikes up a friendship with Catherine Merrick, a night shift nurse and potential love interest.
Carly introduces her millionaire boyfriend, who has an unexpected connection to Dexter. Meanwhile, John and Catherine flirt with the danger of possible break-ins.
To check items off his bucket list, John tries skydiving and visits his childhood home, and surprises ensue. Catherine displays her vocal chops, and Hampton does a sit-up and receives flowers.
Eve considers a breast reduction so John takes her to consult a plastic surgeon (Harry Anderson). When eve calls John an older man, John then considers age reducing plastic surgery.
John's romantic weekend plans with a Yoga Instructor get derailed when he spots Catherine with her old beau riding the same train to a mud bath health resort they had reserved before breaking up.
Gene becoming a father causes Catherine to realize she wants a baby. She asks John to be the father and he agrees, which causes an emotional roller coaster between the two of them. Meanwhile, Dexter joins a reality show "the Reality House".
John gets an internship at a newspaper which doesn't turn out to be the dream job he pictured until he's tasked with the obits that turns into an investigation of the paper's publisher's death. And Gene struggles to comfort his newborn.
As a favor to Carly, John reluctantly agrees to help her boyfriend, Karl, with his senate campaign. It becomes clear Karl's more into image than anything (which could hurt Carly), John throws his "ring into the hat" and runs himself.
John tries to keep his electric car charged. Carly breaks up with Karl and wants John back. Dexter warns John against it. Mahalia hits it off with John's landlord. There's a wedding and a giant shoe. Catherine has something to tell John.
On the day of Carly and John's wedding, Catherine tells John she's pregnant. When John tells Carly, Carly suggests Catherine stay with them. John wonders how he'll survive.
As Mahalia is dealing with a custody battle, John writes an essay about her for a Mother of the Year contest. Her winning the contest sets off a series of unpleasant events.
Feeling they aren't connecting like they should, fitness-freak Carly takes a literature course. In turn, brainy John decides to start working out, taking up Eggers's offer of her being his personal trainer at the police officers' gym.
76
4
"The Blues Traveler"
David Trainer
Paul Perlove
October 9, 1996 (1996-10-09)
N/A
Carly and John break up after a therapy session. As a just friends favor, John goes to the airport to pick up Ray Charles, who's due to perform at Carly's bar, but he ends up leaving the musician behind and the bar without entertainment.
77
5
"Copies"
David Trainer
Tom Saunders & Kell Cahoon
October 16, 1996 (1996-10-16)
N/A
Dexter invites his estranged father to watch a production of John's play; John misinterprets a sign from a man who doesn't speak English.
After John gives Eggers advice on how to get the man of her dreams, she uses the opportunity to get him to agree to be her date for a Halloween party. Meanwhile, Gene must prove his mettle by cleaning up a toxic chemical spill. (Series Finale)
Despite receiving early favorable critical reviews,[78][79][80] the first season finished 96th overall, in part due to its time slot opposing Roseanne (which was fourth overall during the same season).[81] By Larroquette's own admission, though, the show's first season wasn't prime-time material due to its dark nature[82] – at least not for network television.
The show faced cancellation,[83] until Larroquette requested the chance to retool the series, which NBC granted. Much of the dark humor was removed, for a more "toned-down" feel. The sets were brighter, and the cast were transferred from the night shift to day. John's dingy bed-sit was traded for a nice apartment. Oscar, the old bum who lived in one of the bus station phone booths, was cleaned up and became a shoeshine, and the prostitute character Carly (Gigi Rice) went "straight" – buying the bar and becoming a model citizen. The producers also gave John a wholesome romantic interest in the form of nurse Catherine Merrick, played by Alison LaPlaca. The series continued in this more prime-time-friendly format for two more years.
Decline and cancellation
In an attempt to boost the third season opener, but without increasing the budget, it featured a faux guest appearance by Kelsey Grammer as Dr. Frasier Crane, whom John calls for advice (not knowing he is on Frasier's live radio program). Ratings did not improve, however. John and Carly got married in the third-season finale while Catherine was seemingly pregnant with John's child. It was revealed that Catherine was experiencing a phantom pregnancy and left the show. The John Larroquette Show was cancelled abruptly one month into its fourth season, the last episode airing on October 30, 1996, showing John and Officer Eggers on a date at a Halloween party. Six episodes remained unaired until being shown on the USA Network years later.[84]
Production
The series was originally to be called Crossroads; however, NBC wished to make the most of John Larroquette's popularity from his previous role on Night Court, and insisted on naming the show after him.[85]
The show was videotaped, but processed by NBC to make it look like it was recorded on film.[86] Reruns on other networks had the show in its original videotaped format.
Theme song
The series' theme song, "The Skrewy St. Louis Blues", is a bluesy tune performed by David Cassidy on acoustic guitar with a scat vocal. A version of the performance lasting approximately one minute was used in the opening and closing sequences of the show during its first season. A much shorter edit of the song (lasting less than ten seconds) was heard only during the opening logo during the later seasons. An upbeat, jazzy instrumental tune was occasionally used for the closing theme in seasons three and four.
Steve Cochran, a former radio host on WGN Radio in Chicago, used the Cassidy song as the theme music for his own radio program up until he was fired.
Liz Torres, also nominated in 1994 for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, won the NCLR/ALMA Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Comedy Series in 1996 for her role in the series. She would also win a Nosotros Golden Eagle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Series in 1997.
Thomas Pynchon
After the series made several references to reclusive novelist Thomas Pynchon's work and reputation, Pynchon (through his agent) reportedly contacted the series' producers to offer suggestions and corrections. When a local Pynchon sighting became a major plot point in a 1994 episode of the series, Pynchon was sent the script for his approval; as well as providing the title of a fictitious work to be used in one episode ("Pandemonium of the Sun"), the novelist apparently vetoed a final scene that called for an extra playing him to be filmed from behind, walking away from the shot.[89][90] Pynchon also insisted that it should be specifically mentioned in the episode that Pynchon was seen wearing a T-shirt showing psychedelic-rock musician Roky Erickson.[91] According to the Los Angeles Times, this spurred an increase in sales of Erickson's albums.[92]
